Fatal fight: Mexican TV star may face more serious charge

MIAMI (AP) — A Florida judge has rescinded an order allowing a Mexican soap opera star to travel outside the U.S., saying he's likely to face a more serious charge from a fatal traffic confrontation than the third-degree battery charge filed recently.

Pablo Lyle attends People en Espanol's "50 Most Beautiful Awards" at IAC, in New York. A Florida judge has rescinded an order allowing the Mexican soap opera star to travel outside the U.S., saying he's likely to face a more serious charge from a fatal traffic confrontation than the third-degree battery charge filed recently. The judge set a hearing Monday, April 8, 2019, to discuss the bond and travel order for Lyle, a star of the TV soap opera "Mi Adorable Maldicion." (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)

April 07, 2019

The judge set a hearing Monday to discuss the bond and travel order for Pablo Lyle, a star of the TV soap opera "Mi Adorable Maldicion." After Lyle's arrest last Monday for punching Juan Ricardo Hernandez, 63, during a traffic confrontation in Miami, the actor posted bond, and he was granted permission to fly to Mexico, which he did. Then Hernandez died Thursday, and the Miami Herald obtained video that raised questions about the account Lyle and his brother-in-law gave police.

The Herald reports the video appears to show Lyle knocking down Hernandez with one punch. A spokesman for the State Attorney's Office in Miami said prosecutors would wait for the autopsy report before making any further legal moves.

According to Lyle's account detailed in the arrest affidavit, Lyle and his brother-in-law, whom police did not identify, said they feared for their safety after Hernandez got out of his car at a stoplight to protest Lyle's brother-in-law cutting him off in traffic.

Hernandez walked up to the driver's side window, pounded on it with an open hand and the brother-in-law got out and said, "Don't bang on my window," according to the brother-in-law's account in the affidavit.

Once the brother-in-law saw his car rolling toward the intersection, he ran back to it and stopped it. The brother-in-law told detectives he didn't see a physical confrontation between Lyle and Hernandez.

According to the Miami Herald, the video appears to show the brother-in-law getting out of his car and arguing before Hernandez can bang on the window. As the brother-in-law runs back to the rolling car, Hernandez heads back toward his car. Lyle jumps out of the passenger seat and runs nine steps back to Hernandez who is almost to the open door of his car, according to the Herald.

Hernandez sees Lyle approaching and turns to face him while still backing up with hands raised, the video appears to show. Lyle punches Hernandez in the head and Hernandez collapses, according to the Herald.

In the arrest affidavit, Lyle told police investigators that he feared for his family's safety and thought that Hernandez was going to hit him first.